Art blog

As another school year comes to a close, we won't be sticking around this summer as we have in past summers. This means moving, and packing up stuff is never fun. So I decided to have a major sale hoping to clear out most of these paintings throughout the month of April!

All you have to do is go to my Etsy shop, find a painting you would like to buy, and insert the promo code "MOVING50" to get 50% off any painting in the shop!

With this painting I wanted to evoke feeling of peace and serenity that nature can offer. Imagine yourself in this forest, the sounds of the stream rippling beside you and the stillness everywhere else. Life can be very hectic at times and I think nature can offer a great refuge and calmness. Many of us can't be in nature like this every day, but through paintings such as this we can at least have a taste in our daily lives.

Head over to my Etsy shop or art gallery to check out the rest of my paintings!

If you are looking for some pop off the page art, then you need to see the works of the talented artist Keng Lye. Keng is an artist from Singapore who has developed an amazing talent of using resin and acrylic paint to create 3D paintings. These paintings literally and figuratively go into and come out of the surface.

Using layers of clear resin, Keng is able to create life-like paintings. He mainly paints animals. “I try very hard to make my subjects as realistic as possible,” Keng said. And they definitely look real, as you can see with the octopus above and the turtle below.​

I was able to get a couple of quotes from Keng about where his inspiration comes from. He said, “I am inspired by master Riusuke Fukahori and his total dedication to his craft. I am also inspired by nature and its beauty.”​

Just like any work of art, it takes time to grow a talent like this. Keng said that “there are no short-cuts to honing your craft. This is one of the reasons why I admire Riusuke so much. He spent more than 7 years painting his goldfish and to this day, he is tireless in his pursuit of perfection.” Mastery level takes time, effort, and sacrifice. And even when you have read a "mastery" level, you will never stop learning.

I will leave you with one final inspiring quote from Keng about life-long learning.“I am still learning as I go along. There’s still much discovering and learning to do.” No matter what level we are at in whatever skill we are trying to master, we are always learning as we go along, and there is “still much discovering and learning to do”.

To view all of his works you can find Keng Lye on his Facebook page: Keng LyeOr at his art gallery on Deviant Art here: Keng Lye Gallery​Here are some more of his works of art.

The Crimson Flower is an acrylic painting done on a 5x7 canvas board. One of the things in nature I absolutely love is the beauty of flowers. Springtime brings rainbows of colours to fields and forests with all of the different flowers.

The deep brush strokes create luscious petals on this particular flower. Bring the beauty of nature into your home with this painting.

Larger versions are available of this painting upon request. Take a look at the photos below to see what it could look like!​See all available options on my Etsy store! And don't forget to check out the rest of my gallery for more paintings!

Waterton Lakes National Park is one of my favourite places to visit. I've been fortunate enough to have been visiting here since I was young. Ever since I started painting I have wanted to start painting scenes from this place. This view is from the head of the lake just behind the Prince of Whales Hotel.

This painting is done in acrylic paints on a 12x24 stretched canvas. It is finished with a satin varnish.

​Don't forget to check out my gallery with my other paintings and my store to make any purchases!

This is one of my favourite acrylic paintings that I have done. The contrast between the grey and the vibrant colours really makes it an eye catching work of art. It evokes feelings of love, passion, and tranquility. The flow of the grey background and the bleeding red and orange on the road creates the sense of rain. The couple in this painting also makes an appearance in my painting "A Stroll by the Colosseum".

This painting is done on a 16x20 stretched canvas with a satin varnish finish.

Check out my art gallery to see more of my paintings, and head on over to my Etsy shop to make any purchases!

This is an acrylic painting done on a 20x16 stretched canvas. It depicts a couple in love taking an evening stroll by the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.While living in Rome, the Colosseum was my favourite place to visit. I could only imagine what it was like in it's full glory.To purchase this painting you can click on the button below named "Etsy Shop", and you can see the rest of my paintings in the gallery by following the button names "Art Gallery".​

Here are a few items and ideas that can enhance your time while painting even if you do not have much space. I have my little painting corner in the living room because that is the only place for it. But even with just a corner I am able to have everything I need to enjoy my time painting. So let us get to it!

1. OrganizationThis may go without saying but being organized will solve a lot of time and possible frustration in the future. This may require a small purchase of shelves, or a shelving unit but I promise you it will be worth your money. I only have three drawers in my little unit and am able to fit everything I need in those. In the top drawer I have paintbrushes. The second drawer I have the paints. And in the third drawer I have the paint mediums, pencils, rulers, and the other miscellaneous items. It iss a simple thing but keeps everything organized and can be done in a very small space. In my previous house I used the drawers of an end table. An extra purchase wasnât necessary and everything was all hidden and organized.

â2. LightingThe lighting in the room changes everything in a painting. Whites may look off-white, and light greens may look yellow. Natural light is always the best answer but is not always possible when space is limited. There are many types of craft lights one can purchase. I use the Ottlite J8600C Cone LED Lamp (link below). You can find it on Amazon for about

forty dollars. I like it because it clips on my easel and has a neck that can bend every which way and stays in place. Other lights work just great but you need somewhere to set them which may not be possible with limited space.

â3. Comfortable and Work Friendly SeatingI overlooked the value of having something comfortable to sit on while painting for a long time. At first I bought one of those little ten dollar stools from IKEA because I thought it looked cooler if I had a painting stool, and because it was small and space efficient. But after back aches from hours spent on the stool I decided to change. Now I use a small office type chair that has a back and a height lever but no arm rests (which is important because it can restrict movement while painting). Having something to lean back on every once in a while eases tension in the back. And being able to adjust the height on the chair saves time on changing the height

of the easel. I am not saying you have to sit to paint, many times I stand to paint, but having a comfortable and work friendly chair to sit on can make your time painting much easier and much more enjoyable.

4. Floor CoveringIf you are working in the living room, or something similar, you donât want to accidently spill paint on the carpet or floor and have a big paint stain. Yes, paint removers can be used but why not just prevent having to use those in the first place. When I first started painting I just used newspaper but letâs be honest, that doesnât look very good. I could not just leave it there when I was not working and had to make sure I had newspaper always on hand. Now I use those interlocking puzzle square mats. They are easy to clean if spilled on, soft to work on, and I think it frames in my workspace to make it look clean and tidy. These can be bought at any Walmart or similar department store. If you can work in a place where spilled paint doesnât matter, then all the better!Here are just a few things that I have learned while painting in small spaces. If you have any other suggestions or tips, post them so we can all benefit!

Author

Hey all! I'm Brian, the artist of this blog. I've been painting for a few years now and have enjoyed every minute of it. This art blog will include posts about my newest paintings, tips about painting methods, and reviews of products. If you have anything you would like me to write about, just let me know!